Rules of the Game – discussing democratic institutions

With Degan Ali I discuss the system of international aid based on her inside experience of working in the sector for over two decades. She speaks truth to power and that really takes some bravery to do, and I honor that. Degan Ali shares many compelling stories from her home country Somalia, but also from several years of growing up and studying in the US. She explains how local agricultural markets were destroyed by foreign interference and how the Somali government is at the whim of foreign donor countries, instead of being accountable to its own people. Listening to her perspective is really important and powerful, even though I don’t agree with all her viewpoints. With her voice and her work she tries to find ways to liberate Somalia from the traditional aid paradigm. As it is pointless to wait for the international aid system to change or even to leave Somalia, what seems the most promising way forward is to empower local civil society organizations and to raise their political profile to increase their leverage on the political stage. Degan Ali has been at the forefront of shifting power for decades. She is the Executive Director of Adeso, an organization that made cash transfers a significant, legitimate method of delivering aid to vulnerable populations, beginning with the first large-scale cash transfer program during the 2011 Somalia famine. She is also a Rockefeller Foundation Global Fellow for Social Innovation, a contributor to the Overseas Development Institute, the Humanitarian Policy Group and the Global Food Security Journal. Her work has been featured on The New York Times, Al Jazeera and The Guardian. As a remark, this conversation was recorded in June 2023. ⁠⁠⁠Find a full transcript and links to all material discussed in the show notes⁠⁠⁠.⁠ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 04:57 Personal questions / 13:41 Main discussion / 42:46 Recommendations by Degan Ali. Follow Degan Ali on X. Please send feedback to⁠⁠ ⁠rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at ⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame⁠⁠⁠⁠. Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who co-produced this episode. Please enjoy this conversation with Degan Ali.

With Armin Schäfer I discuss Germany's mixed member proportional electoral system and its current reform. We compare the old and the prospective new electoral system, and we explore what the most important and the most controversial changes are. Armin Schäfer shares not only historical context of the character of Germany’s political system but also his opinions on the reform process. Important to mention is that just a few days ago, at the end of July 2024, the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany ruled that the electoral law passed by the German parliament in March 2023 is, in principle, in accordance with the Basic Law. However, the basic mandate clause, which was supposed to be abolished, must remain in place. This is especially important for smaller parties with strong regional representation that fail to cross the 5% electoral threshold that is also in place. I recorded this discussion with Armin Schäfer before the ruling of the Constitutional Court. This means that while the arguments we make are absolutely relevant and valid, we were not able to anticipate the timing or outcome of the court ruling. Armin Schäfer is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Mainz in Germany, with his research interests at the intersection of comparative political economy, democracy research and political theory. His recent research agenda focused on the interplay of social and political inequality, voter turnout, representation and responsiveness. Between 2018 and 2021 Armin Schäfer was head of the German Political Science Association (DVPW). ⁠⁠Find a full transcript and links to all material discussed in the show notes⁠⁠.⁠ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 03:37 Personal questions / 06:34 Main discussion / 31:57 The reform / 52:09 Recommendations by Armin Schäfer. Follow Armin Schäfer on ⁠X⁠⁠. Please send feedback to⁠⁠ ⁠rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at ⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame⁠⁠⁠. Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who co-produced this episode. Please enjoy this conversation with Armin Schäfer.

In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 42 on Democracy for Busy People, a discussion I had with Kevin Elliott. My three takeaways from episode 42: 0:42 It’s important to include busy people in democracy. 3:55 Political parties and political competition are crucial. The better parliaments represent the people’s interests, the more democratic our political systems. 6:00 We should dare to fundamentally question our current institutions and think about unconventional propositions and ideas. Listen to episode 42 and find the show notes here. Kevin Elliott’s personal website. It would be great to hear your opinion and feedback on this new format. If you want to send me an email, you can reach me at rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame Related episodes: The Citizens' Chamber in the Canton of Vaud with Rodan Bury and Charly Pache | Ep. 31: ⁠⁠Listen and show notes⁠⁠⁠. Fixing the House with Proportional Representation with Lee Drutman | Ep. 39 Listen and show notes. Power-sharing institutions in multicultural societies – the case of Switzerland with Sean Müller | Ep. 6 Listen and show notes. Youtube

With Kevin Elliott I discuss how democracy could be built for busy people based on his new book Democracy for Busy People, published in 2023 by the University of Chicago Press. I had a fascinating conversation with Kevin Elliott about his inspiration for writing the book, in which he takes the viewpoint of busy individuals who scarcely have the time to delve into lengthy parliamentary debates, participate in citizens' assemblies, or cast votes on numerous initiatives and referendums. Essentially, the question is how we can simplify democracy and reduce its demands, while simultaneously enhancing its democratic nature. Kevin J. Elliott is a Lecturer in Ethics, Politics, and Economics at Yale University. His primary research areas lie in political theory, with a special focus on the ethics of democratic citizenship and the design of political institutions. His scholarly contributions have been featured in numerous prestigious publications such as the American Journal of Political Science, The Journal of Politics, Perspectives on Politics, Political Theory and many others. He earned his PhD from Columbia University in 2015, a Master's degree in Political Theory from the London School of Economics, and a BA from UCLA with the highest honors. ⁠Find a full transcript and links to all material discussed in the show notes⁠.⁠ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 04:30 Personal questions / 08:00 Main discussion / 46:24 Deliberative Institutions / 01:00:06 Recommendations by Kevin Elliott. Follow Kevin Elliott on X/⁠Twitter⁠. Please send feedback to⁠ ⁠rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com⁠⁠. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at ⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame⁠⁠. Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who co-produced this episode. Please enjoy this conversation with Kevin Elliott.

In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 41 on direct democracy in Latin America, a discussion I had with Yanina Welp. My three takeaways from episode 41: 0:50 Direct democracy is a powerful democratic institution. 2:41 Authoritarian regimes may use "the will of the people" to consolidate power. 7:14 The devil is in the details. ⁠Find the show notes with full transcript here⁠. ⁠Listen to episode 41 and find the show notes here⁠. ⁠Yanina Welp's research website Related episode: Let the People Rule with John Matsusaka | Ep. 31: ⁠Listen and show notes⁠ ⁠Youtube⁠ Venezuela's Democratic Erosion with Maryhen Jiménez | Ep. 27: Listen and show notes Youtube Chile – From Street Protest to a New Constitution with Claudia Heiss | Ep. 8: Listen and show notes Youtube Basic Principles of Direct Democracy with Stefan Schlegel | Ep. 5: Listen and show notes Youtube It would be great to hear your opinion and feedback on this new format. If you want to send me an email, you can reach me at rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at ⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame

With Yanina Welp I discuss different ways of how direct democratic institutions have been applied in Latin American countries – both in fundamentally democratizing processes but also power grabbing incidents. In particular, we talk about the cases of Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela, based on Yanina’s extensive research and deep knowledge. Yanina also shares her insights on how direct democracy can be a check on the power of the executive and legislative branches of government. And I also want to know what she expects from the second attempt in Chile to write a brand new constitution, that the people will decide on in a referendum in December. Yanina Welp is a Research Fellow at the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy  at the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Between 2008 and 2018 she was principal researcher at the Centre for Democracy Studies and co-director of the Zurich Latin American Centre, both at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. She got her PhD in Political and Social Sciences from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona and a habilitation from the University of St. Gallen. Two of her recent books are “The Will of the People: Populism and Citizens Participation in Latin America” and the “De Gruyter Handbook of Citizens Assemblies” that she co-edited with Min Reuchamps and Julien Vrydagh. ⁠Find a full transcript and links to all material discussed in the show notes.⁠ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 03:36 Personal questions / 07:10 Main discussion / 47:30 Recommendations by Yanina Welp. Follow Yanina Welp on Twitter and LinkedIn. Please send feedback to ⁠rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com⁠. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at ⁠buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame⁠. Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode. Please enjoy this conversation with Yanina Welp. – Music credits: To Be A Ball Of Light by Late Night Feeler and Fantasy Classical Themes by TheoTe.

In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 40 on the Citizens' Chamber in the Canton of Vaud, a discussion I had with Rodan Bury and Charly Pache. My three takeaways from episode 40: 0:45 Designing complementary institutions 4:55 Citizens’ Chamber & direct democracy 8:56 Improving existing institutions Find the show notes with full transcript here. Listen to episode 40 and find the show notes here. Letter from Switzerland: Where the People have the Veto Related episode: Deliberative Democracy and Citizens' Assemblies with Ian O'Flynn | Ep. 22: Listen and show notes Youtube It would be great to hear your opinion and feedback on this new format. If you want to send me an email, you can reach me at rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame

With Rodan Bury and Charly Pache I discuss their initiative to inaugurate a Citizens’ Chamber in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. The idea of the citizens’ chamber is to complement the existing unicameral parliament with topic-specific citizens’ assemblies, for which members are selected by sortition. Rather than being a permanent chamber of the same citizens, the proposed citizens’ chamber consists of a number of citizens’ assemblies that would convene for several months to deliberate and legislate on specific political issues. The goal of the citizens’ chamber is to enable citizens to directly participate in legislative processes, to deal with controversial topics, to include the many different perspectives of citizens, while most day-to-day political negotiations would still be dealt with by the elected parliament. It would thus be a complement both to representative and direct democratic institutions.  Rodan and Charly are part of a committee that tries to institutionalize the citizens’ chamber through a popular initiative to be approved at the ballot box by a popular vote, as it asks for a change of the cantonal constitution. The initiative was submitted to the government of the Canton of Vaud a few months ago. The state council that reviews initiatives rejected the proposal however, arguing that the proposition clashes with regulations in the federal constitution. The initiative committee appealed to the decision, and so currently Rodan and Charly are awaiting a decision on their appeal by the responsible court. Rodan Bury works as an occupational therapist, and he is the coordinator of the initiative of the citizens’ chamber and is passionate about community and bottom-up democratic approaches. He is trained to facilitate and coordinate citizens’ assemblies, and a public speaker and advocate for democracy. Charly Pache holds a degree in management information technology and a master's degree in innovation and entrepreneurship. He has worked on numerous prospective projects involving organizational elements of tomorrow's society. The way of working is one of them. He is also involved with participatory democracy and self-empowering, equal opportunities and diversity. Find a full transcript and links to all material discussed in the show notes. Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 05:45 Personal questions / 09:15 Main discussion / 47:08 Recommendations by Rodan Bury and Charly Pache. Find the detailled proposal of the Citizens' Chamber of Vaud at Blue Democracy. Follow Rodan Bury's activities at the non-partisan movement AG!SSONS (Let's act!), on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Follow Charly Pache on LinkedIn and on Twitter. Please send feedback to rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com. Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode. This is my first ever discussion on the Rules of the Game podcast with two guests. Please enjoy this conversation with Rodan Bury and Charly Pache. – Music credits: To Be A Ball Of Light by Late Night Feeler and Fantasy Classical Themes by TheoTe.

Rules in Perspective is a new segment on the Rules of the Game channel. In this new segment I review and comment on my own podcast episodes. In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 39 on Fixing the House with Proportional Representation with Lee Drutman. My 3 takeaways from episode 39: John Adams' Nightmare Electoral reform is an uphill battle, but worth it. Electoral reform from below. ⁠Find the show notes and full transcript here⁠. Listen to episode 39 and find the show notes here. Book: ⁠Breaking the Two-Party Doom-Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America ⁠ by Lee Drutman, 2020. Report: Towards Proportional Representation for the U.S. House, by Grant Tudor and Beau Tremitiere, Mar. 2023, Protect Democracy and Unite America. Related Episodes: The Dream of a Truly American Democracy by Stephan Kyburz (Ep. 1) Listen and show notes Proportional Representation in America? with Jack Santucci (Ep. 12) Listen and show notes New Zealand's Electoral Reform with Jack Nagel (Ep. 30) Listen and show notes It would be great to hear your opinion and feedback on this new format. If you want to send me an email, you can reach me at rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame

With Lee Drutman I discuss how proportional representation can break the two-party doom-loop that is spiraling in the U.S. Lee co-founded the organization “Fix Our House” with Charlotte Hill and Eli Zupnick, that specifically campaigns for proportional representation for the U.S. House of Representatives. We spend less time talking about the problems of the outdated first-past-the-post system, yet more time on possible solutions. Lee’s favored electoral system is open-list proportional representation, that is also used in Switzerland, for instance. He explains why he changed his mind on ranked choice voting, that he previously vouched for. We agree that the most important message for the electoral reform movement right now is advocating for multi-seat districts and proportional representation, instead of being bogged down by arguing over the best version of PR.  Lee Drutman is a Senior Fellow in the Political Reform program at New America. He is the author of the books “Breaking the Two-Party Doom-Loop: The Case for Multi-Party Democracy in America”, and “The Business of America is Lobbying “. He is the winner of the 2016 American Political Science Association's Robert A. Dahl Award, given for "scholarship of the highest quality on the subject of democracy." He co-hosts the podcast Politics in Question, and he is a lecturer at The Johns Hopkins University Center for Advanced Governmental Studies, and he writes regularly for FiveThirtyEight. He has published numerous pieces in the New York Times, Washington Post, Vox, NBC Think, and Foreign Policy, among many other outlets. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley and a B.A. from Brown University. Find a full transcript and links to all material discussed in the show notes. Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 04:17 Personal questions / 05:15 Main discussion / 42:23 Recommendations by Lee Drutman. Lee Drutman at New America. Follow Lee Drutman on Twitter and LinkedIn. Please send feedback to rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com. Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Lee Drutman. Music credits: To Be A Ball Of Light by Late Night Feeler and Fantasy Classical Themes by TheoTe.

Rules in Perspective is a new segment on the Rules of the Game channel. In this new segment I review and comment on my own podcast episodes. In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 38 on Political Institutions of Kuwait with Luai Allarakia. My three takeaways: Re-read the constitution Procedural rules matter too Political parties are important Listen to episode 38 and find the show notes here. Find a full transcript here. Find more information on the role of political parties in this paper on Moderated Parliamentarism. Related Episodes: Parliamentarism vs. Presidentialism with Tiago Santos (Ep. 11) Show notes Spotify Apple Podcasts Youtube Beyond Presidentialism and parliamentarism with Steffen Ganghof (Ep. 16) Show notes Spotify Apple Podcasts Youtube Moderated Parliamentarism with Tarunabh Khaitan (Ep. 29) Show notes Spotify Apple Podcasts It would be great to hear your opinion and feedback on this new format. If you want to send me an email, you can reach me at rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame

With Luai Allarakia I discuss Kuwait’s political system and institutions. He lays out the most important developments since its constitution was written in 1962, and how Kuwait – a country of 4.3 million people –  tries to manage its political trajectory between presidentialism and parliamentarism. It is following its own path, that is led by a hereditary monarch, the emir of Kuwait. While a lot of power is concentrated in the emir, who can appoint the prime minister, the National Assembly of Kuwait, or KNA in short, is elected by the people. Elections are a national sport in Kuwait, says Luai. He shares with us many institutional features and rules that may seem very specific to Kuwait, but are interesting to compare to other political systems. In the end, you realize that the system is based on many different written and unwritten rules and norms – like any political system. So in this conversation we really take the time to go into some detail of Kuwait’s institutions and I think it’s really worth it to talk about the specificities that are partly similar and partly different from a well-established democracy. Luai Allarakia is Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond in the US. He got his PhD in Political Science and Government from the University of Houston, where he wrote his thesis on the Dynamics of Legislatures in Monarchical Regimes, exemplified by Kuwait’s National Assembly (KNA). His research specializes in Kuwait’s legislature, the Saudi Shura Council, and Gulf Arab affairs. He also regularly comments on political developments in the Gulf states. You can follow him on Twitter and Linkedin and link to his profiles in the show notes. Find a full transcript and links to all material discussed in the show notes. Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 03:34 Personal questions / 06:28 Main discussion / 54:20 Recommendations by Luai Allarakia. Luai Allarakia's contributions at the Arab Gulf States Institute. Follow Luai Allarakia on Twitter and Linkedin. Please send feedback to rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com. Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Luai Allarakia. Music credits: To Be A Ball Of Light by Late Night Feeler and Fantasy Classical Themes by TheoTe.

Rules in Perspective is a new segment on Rules of  the Game – discussing democratic institutions. In this new segment I review and comment on my own podcast episodes. In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 37 on Advancing Proportional Representation in Canada with Réal Lavergne. My three takeaways: Broken promises Lost referendums Citizens’ assemblies as a reform strategy Listen to episode 37 and find the show notes here. Find more information about Fair Vote Canada. Related Episodes: The Dream of a Truly American Democracy (Ep.1) Show notes Youtube Spotify Apple Podcasts Proportional Representation in America? with Jack Santucci (Ep. 12) Show notes Youtube Spotify Apple Podcasts New Zealand's Electoral Reform with Jack Nagel (Ep. 30) Show notes Spotify Apple Podcasts It would be great to hear your opinion and feedback on this new  format. If you want to send me an email, you can reach me at  rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and  you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame

The story of proportional representation in Canada is one of great hopes, changes in reform strategies, but also – unfortunately – many broken promises. So the country is still stuck with the outdated first-past-the-post electoral system at all levels of government. With Réal Lavergne I discuss the efforts of Fair Vote Canada to push for electoral reform. He shares the frustrations and problems that come with the first-past-the-post electoral system and how Fair Vote Canada tries to bring change to the balance of power. While most people seem to be aware of the defects of elections in Canada, to introduce proportional representation through electoral reform is extremely difficult. Réal Lavergne was President of Fair Vote Canada from 2016 to 2021 and is well versed with the experiences of advocating for proportional representation in Canada. Réal is an economist by training and got his PhD in Political Economy from the University of Toronto. Before starting to work as a volunteer for Fair Vote Canada, he spent many years in International Development. Find a full transcript and links to all material discussed in the show notes. Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 03:20 Personal questions / 07:40 Main discussion / 35:20 Recommendations by Réal Lavergne. Find out more about Réal Lavergne at Fair Vote Canada. Find out more Fair Vote Canada. Follow Réal Lavergne on LinkedIn. Please send feedback to rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Réal Lavergne. Music credits: To Be A Ball Of Light by Late Night Feeler and Fantasy Classical Themes by TheoTe.

Rules in Perspective is a new segment on Rules of the Game – discussing democratic institutions. In this new segment I review and comment on my own podcast episodes. In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 36 on Current Developments of Direct Democracy in Germany with Jan Renner.  My three takeaways: On the people's initiative in Bavaria On citizens' assemblies and direct democracy On the history of direct democracy in Germany Listen to episode 36 and find the show notes here: https://rulesofthegame.blog/current-developments-of-direct-democracy-in-germany/ Referenced paper by Andreas Rohner (2011): https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/94811/1/C2D_WP38.pdf Mehr Demokratie (More Democracy) Germany: https://www.mehr-demokratie.de/english It would be great to hear your opinion and feedback on this new format. If you want to send me an email, you can reach me at rulesofthegame.ddi@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame Related Episodes: Basic Principles of Direct Democracy with Stefan Schlegel (Ep. #5) Website: https://rulesofthegame.blog/basic-principles-of-direct-democracy/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1sFM0MpgIfHDdsJ1P2Gca3?si=vdZJSOePSFGCaIXnLH2zcw Youtube: https://youtu.be/cFKoTCRzw80 Directer Democracy with Roslyn Fuller (Ep. #13) Website: https://rulesofthegame.blog/directer-democracy/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qNodiEb0v4bTcKH7UCEix?si=8D_e9_0cRj6M-DpO2VhMTg Youtube: https://youtu.be/sR_kOOB4N6U Deliberative Democracy and Citizens’ Assemblies with Ian O'Flynn (Ep. #22) Website: https://rulesofthegame.blog/deliberative-democracy-and-citizens-assemblies/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3hrBuTGWFz5VNEspqLm7kj?si=DDX7EamKR6-e6eWHVw9dvQ Let the People Rule with John Matsusaka (Ep. #31) Website: https://rulesofthegame.blog/let-the-people-rule/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/522DYytyyZT79XGj0LMydf?si=yjFdxHtsRY2D_9Bd2Ui8Kw

With Jan Renner I discuss current developments of direct democracy in Germany, and especially in Bavaria, his home state. Bavaria is the most advanced German federal state when it comes to direct democracy. Jan explains the specific direct democratic tools that are available and how Mehr Demokratie, the organization he works for, tries to change the rules of direct democracy to make citizen participation and decision making easier and better. He shares with us the strategies they pursue and obstacles they face. As Germany is indeed a vibrant direct democracy at the communal and regional level, we talk about developments of direct democracy in the various states. Yet, Germany is still the only EU country that has not yet seen a nationwide referendum. We dig into the historical reasons for this fact and discuss the options for citizen participation, and pushbacks against direct democracy at the federal level. Jan Renner is the Executive Director of Mehr Demokratie (More Democracy) in Bavaria. What I love about his story is how he became a young activist for direct democracy when he joined protest movements that made him more aware of what is wrong with the political system and so he joined the organization for more democracy and climbed its ranks. Jan studied Political Science, Sociology and History in Augsburg and Oslo. Show notes with a full transcript and links to all material discussed: https://rulesofthegame.blog/current-developments-of-direct-democracy-in-germany/ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 03:20 Personal questions / 09:27 Main  discussion / 48:14 Recommendations by Jan Renner. Find out more about Jan Renner here: https://bayern.mehr-demokratie.de/ueber-uns/mitarbeiter-innen Find out more about Mehr Demokratie Germany (More Democracy): https://www.mehr-demokratie.de/ Please send feedback to stephan.kyburz@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Jan Renner. Music credits: To Be A Ball Of Light by Late Night Feeler and Fantasy Classical Themes by TheoTe.

Women in Brazil have consistently been underrepresented in politics. What are the reasons for this lack of women’s political power in this vast democracy? How do formal and informal institutions hinder fair representation of women? How could the political system be changed to reflect the true interest and character of Brazilian society? With Larissa Peixoto Gomes I discuss Brazilian democratic institutions from a feminist perspective. Based on her research and personal experiences, she shares with us the difficulties that women in politics face and how institutions and conditions make it hard for them to win political office. We review the Brazilian open-list proportional representation electoral system and the federal structure. Larissa has a pointed opinion about how institutions should be changed to make the political system work for all citizens and all government levels. And she explains why money has such a significant influence on political power. Larissa Peixoto Gomes is a researcher at the Wales Governance Centre of Cardiff University. She received her PhD in Political Science from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In her PhD thesis she compared the substantive representation of women in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. Her research is focused on political institutions, political representation, elections, gender, and ethnic minorities. She regularly contributes to the public discussion of democratic institutions and women in politics. So for anyone interested in the latest developments in Brazilian politics, she is definitely a great resource, and I link to her website and Twitter in the show notes. Show notes with a full transcript and links to all material discussed: https://rulesofthegame.blog/women-facing-brazilian-institutions/ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 03:24 Personal questions / 06:43 Main discussion / 45:22 Recommendations by Larissa Peixoto Gomes. Find more of Larissa’s work and research on her website: https://www.larissapeixoto.com/ Follow Larissa on Twitter: https://twitter.com/larissapolitics Please send feedback to stephan.kyburz@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Larissa Peixoto Gomes. Music credits: To Be A Ball Of Light by Late Night Feeler and Fantasy Classical Themes by TheoTe.

With Arend Lijphart I discuss some of the fundamental questions regarding democratic institutions based on his seminal book “Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries”, that he first published in 1999 and then updated in 2012. The book contrasts majoritarian and consensus models of democracy. It teaches a lot about democratic institutions and it greatly increased my own knowledge when I first read it during my studies. While the book has, of course, received some criticism, it remains a benchmark study of democracy. We talk about the stability and functioning of different systems of government and proportional representation in divided societies. I also wanted to know from him whether his conclusions had changed since the first publication of the book in 1999, and we also touch upon recent political events that make consensus models of democracy appear to be the far better choice. Arend Lijphart is Professor Emeritus at the Political Science Department of UC San Diego. He received his PhD from Yale University in 1963. Arend's research focuses on comparative politics, elections and voting systems, institutions, ethnicity and politics, and he is a leading authority on consociationalism. He is the author and editor of more than a dozen books. He was elected to serve as president of the American Political Science Association in 1995-96. He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science, the Aaron Wildavsky Book Award, and three honorary doctorates. Show notes with a full transcript and links to all material discussed: https://rulesofthegame.blog/patterns-of-democracy/ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 03:35 Personal questions / 05:44 Main discussion / 42:30 Recommendations by Arend Lijphart. Check out Arend Lijphart's research on his website: https://polisci.ucsd.edu/people/faculty/faculty-directory/emeriti-faculty/lijphart-profile.html Find the book "Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries" here: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300172027/patterns-of-democracy/ Please send feedback to stephan.kyburz@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Arend Lijphart.

With Idayat Hassan I discuss the state of democracies in West Africa. She is the Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), an organization that is advocating for democratic reforms across the West African Region, and based in Abuja, Nigeria. The organization was founded in 1997 in London by Nigerians in Exile when Nigeria was still under military rule. But it relocated to Lagos when Nigeria made the important transition to a democratic regime in 1999. It has remained a bridge building institution between policymakers, civil society activists, and academics in West Africa ever since. If Idayat Hassan could change one institution in her home country Nigeria, it would be to strengthen the whole system of Federalism, to give local governments more autonomy, and more decision making power. What currently worries her is the reemergence of coups d’etat across Western Africa that make politics less predictable, and destroy democratic principles. She elaborates how the situation has been developing in recent times. An institution that the CDD is advocating for is the proportional representation electoral system that would get rid of the zero-sum politics, and allow emerging political parties to gain fair representation in parliament. Yet, proportional representation has received very little attention in the region so far. Idayat Hassan is a lawyer and has held fellowships in universities across Europe and the United States. Idayat received her bachelor’s degree in law from the Lagos State University, and she holds an LL.M. in legal theory from the European Academy of Legal Theory, based in Brussels. Her interests span democracy, peace and security, transitional justice, and information and communications technology for development in West Africa. Idayat frequently appears in international and local media as an expert on the region and is regularly quoted in the BBC, Washington Post, The Economist, Radio France Internationale,, Deutsche Welle and many more. Show notes with a full transcript and links to all material discussed: https://rulesofthegame.blog/the-state-of-democracy-in-west-africa/ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 04:10 Personal questions / 07:06 Main discussion / 36:50 Recommendations by Idayat Hassan. Follow Idayat on Twitter (https://twitter.com/HassanIdayat) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hassan-idayat-60939824/). Check out the website of Centre for Democracy and Development: https://cddwestafrica.org/ Please send feedback to stephan.kyburz@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Idayat Hassan.

With Wietse Van Ransbeeck I discuss citizen participation at the local government level. Wietse was discouraged by the existing possibilities to participate in local political processes in his home town in Belgium, and he didn’t want to become a politician. So he founded CitizenLab that provides digital tools and services for local governments that want to integrate the citizens’ opinions and knowledge in local policies. Digitalization is substantially lowering the costs for citizens to have their voices heard. There is great potential in digital tools and we discuss the opportunities they offer, but also some of the risks. Wietse Van Ransbeeck is the Co-Founder and CEO of CitizenLab, a company that provides a community engagement platform made for local governments that makes it easy to engage their residents, manage inputs, and make informed decisions. He is an impact entrepreneur and determined to rebuild our democracies from the bottom-up. He was recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe leader, and was a Young Transatlantic Innovator Leadership Initiative Fellow in 2018. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Business Engineering Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management. Show notes with a full transcript and links to all material discussed: https://rulesofthegame.blog/digital-open-local-democracy/ Schedule: 00:00 Introduction / 03:37 Personal questions / 05:07 Main discussion / 39:02 Recommendations by Wietse Van Ransbeeck Follow Wietse on Twitter (https://twitter.com/WietseVR) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wietsevanransbeeck/). Check out the website of CitizenLab: https://www.citizenlab.co/ Please send feedback to stephan.kyburz@gmail.com. If you find my discussions interesting and you’d like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rulesofthegame Many thanks to Ana Margarida Santos who edited the episode and compiled the transcript. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Wietse Van Ransbeeck.